Instead of doing so, however, I must have missed the pocket in my haste, and let the case drop to the floor. I was detained longer than I expected at the telephone, and on going back to my room some quarter of an hour later, I instinctively felt in my coat to see if the papers were there. To my horror they were gone! I did not dare to excite my household too much, lest the affair should come to the ears of my colleagues, and they should begin to wonder what secret I was keeping to myself. Nor, indeed, was it necessary to make many inquiries. I asked if there had been any visitors, and was told that Captain Melun had called, and had waited some five minutes in my room, but that he had left before my return, saying that he was pressed for time just then, but would call later in the day. From that moment I had not the slightest doubt as to where the documents had gone. I sent for Melun and taxed him with the theft. He did not deny it. You may think it rather strange that such a man as he should have been allowed to enter my house, but I must explain that I had found his services exceedingly useful in several matters. He was without scruple of any kind, and it is often, I regret to say, convenient for a minister to have some unscrupulous agent at his disposal. I ordered Melun to give the papers up, and he laughed in my face. He told me that he had mastered their contents, and quite appreciated what they involved. Indeed, he at once made the most insolent demands. He told me that I could well afford to pay him a quarter of a million sterling to get the papers back. He knew that my wealth was great, and did not hesitate to blackmail me to the fullest extent. In the course of long and angry negotiations I was compelled to agree to pay over this sum. Indeed I dared not refuse. He was not, however, content with this rapacious request. He wanted, he said, to rehabilitate himself properly in society, and to that end he had the colossal impudence to demand Lady Kathleen's hand in marriage. I tell you frankly, Sir Paul, that I was so furious at this that I leaped out of my chair, and, old man though I am, struck Melun across his face. It was an action which I deeply repented, for, as compensation, he demanded another fifty thousand pounds, and again impudently insisted upon his marriage with my daughter. This, however, I steadily declined to consider for a moment. It seemed to me impossible for a man of Melun's description to fail to be contented with three hundred thousand pounds. To my dismay, I found I was mistaken. He repeated over and over again that I should ultimately consent to his marrying Lady Kathleen, and threatened me with exposure and ruin if I still held to my refusal. Now I would have gladly faced exposure and ruin rather than have sacrificed my daughter to such a despicable hound as this. But, unfortunately, it was not only my ruin which was involved.